LAIKA hires Striker Entertainment for worldwide licensing program

Award-winning animation studio LAIKA has tapped Striker Entertainment LLC to serve as its worldwide licensing agent.Founded in Portland, Oregon, in 2005, LAIKA has produced four Oscar-nominated features: Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), The Boxtrolls (2014), ParaNorman (2012) and Coraline (2009).

“LAIKA’s reason for being is to make films and tell stories that bring people together and inspire them to dream,” says Travis Knight, LAIKA’s president and CEO and director of Kubo and the Two Strings. “Knitting our artistry and storytelling more meaningfully into our fans’ lives through the world of consumer products is a continuation of that vision. It’s an enormous privilege to partner with industry-leading firm Striker to further advance LAIKA’s future expansion.”

“As LAIKA looks to broaden its licensing program, we will be working in conjunction with Striker to develop a global licensing program with best-in-class licensees to ensure the highest level of quality and authenticity for our groundbreaking catalog of films," said Brad Wald, LAIKA’s CFO and head of business operations. Prior to joining LAIKA in 2016, Wald's career highlights included managing NBCUniversal’s successful commercial activities surrounding “Downton Abbey.”

"We are thrilled to be embarking into the world of consumer products as LAIKA’s rich, vibrant and colorful themes and characters are perfectly suited for multi-category products including toys, collectibles, apparel, accessories, novelties, paper goods, publishing and seasonal items, as well as digital and interactive games," Wald stated. "We believe there will be a high demand from our fans for LAIKA merchandise of all kinds. And if recent robust results from sales at our shop at the ‘From Coraline to Kubo: A Magical LAIKA Experience’exhibit at Universal Studios Hollywood are any indication, we are looking at a significant new revenue stream for the company. In the near future, LAIKA's products will

be available in various retail outlets and channels as well as on our website. As with all things LAIKA, everything will be about quality, just like our films."

“Striker has always been attracted to auteur filmmakers and groundbreaking artistry," said Russell Binder, a partner at Striker Entertainment. “LAIKA is fundamentally about captivating storytelling, breathtaking artistry and audience engagement. The worlds and characters the studio creates resonate with audiences the world over and now we are in a position to focus on converting the engagement on both sides of the screen into desirable consumer products that portray the passion expressed in LAIKA’s films.”